Strong mayor group files list of contributors

Citizens for Accountable Leadership, the group seeking to change the city’s form of government to a strong-mayor system, filed a list of contributions and expenditures with the city clerk this afternoon.

The group reported contributions of $58,100.23 and expenditures of $56,139.06.

So far, the organization has received contribution from 12 individuals and three companies.

Of the contributions, $33,000 came from three donors.

Corporate Office Properties Trust, a real estate investment company that owns or controls more than 1 million square feet of office and industrial space in Colorado Springs, gave $10,000

Local philanthropist and former city council member Katherine Loo gave $13,000

Developer and former city council member Bruce Shepard gave $10,000

The group also received a $20,000 loan from CS Governance Initiative, which was not included in the list of contributors.

CS Governance Initiative is a 501(c)(4) corporation, which is not legally required to list its contributors.

Expenditures included $32,304.25 paid to two Denver firms: Rocky Mountain Voter Outreach, a signature canvassing firm, and $6,221 to SE2 Public Persuasion.

For the initiative to be placed on the November ballot, organizers must submit 25,000 valid signatures by early August.

Signature collection began in late May and about 16,000 have been gathered so far.

In practice, this will require the campaign to collect nearly 40,000 signatures, or about 1,000 per day during the month of July.

The campaign reported that “over the last year before the onset of an official campaign, supporters of the proposal spent more than $120,000 on research, legal fees, strategy and the public input process. “

The source of those funds has not been revealed.

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